Someone I Have To Protect
by Another-Anime-Author
Summary: Spoilers from last episode. Yami reminisces on the day of the ceremonial duel and wonders about his friendship with Yuugi. Criticise honestly and inform me of any errors from the original YuGiOh story so I can edit them; it's been a while since I saw YGO.


"Bye, everyone!" Yuugi shouted behind him as his friends waved goodbye.

The petite 17-year-old and his group of pals were leaving school a little later than usual. Okay, a LOT later than usual. Mrs. Takahashi, the new homeroom teacher of the camaraderie cluster since the strange death of their previous sensei, was very alert and very strict. Jonouchi and Honda, unfortunately, chose her first day on the job to act "out of line;" when Yuugi and Anzu tried to break up their riot, Takahashi chose that precise time to walk in on the unsuspecting students of Domino High, automatically assuming ALL of them to be guilty.

_"DETENTION, all of you!" the charming young woman pointed an accusing finger at the group of four, earning mixed groans of embarrassment and annoyance from the said children._

"_Damn witch…" Jonouchi attempted to say this under his breath as he sat angrily in detention later that day. However, a sharp pain on the side of his head from a piece of flying chalk told him otherwise. "Maybe if you behaved like a good boy, you wouldn't be here, now, would you, Jonouchi-kun?"_

"_Excuse me, Takahashi-Sensei," Anzu raised her hand shortly before putting it back down, "I swear, Yuugi and I were only trying to help stop their fight. I really think that we should be able to-"_

"_Do you really expect me to believe you? Because I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but your little 'pretty and innocent' act isn't going to work on me," The teacher's rant caught Anzu by surprise, after all, it wasn't often that she got in trouble at school, "Honestly, you should be ashamed by your actions: getting into fights like that? With all boys? You are a lady, and women don't stoop to such levels!" Takahashi seemed very angry all of a sudden, for no real reason. This always made Yuugi very uncomfortable. Was it ironic that the teacher took this time to make eye contact with him? "Yes?" She demanded harshly, but after noticing how scared the small boy got when she snapped at him, she must have thought it best that she softened up a little because soon after, she said "…Is there something you wanted to ask me, darling?"_

"_Err, Sensei," Yuugi began to question nervously, "I don't mean to pry, but was today your first day teaching?" Everyone, including the teacher, stared at him in surprise. _

"…_How did you know?"_

"_Well, no offense, but the only teachers I know who are as strict as you are usually fresh out of college," Yuugi had a slight blush growing on his cheeks, which seemed to make Takahashi's eyes widen a little, before she gave him a gorgeous smile. "Well, as a matter of fact, I am fresh from college; you're very observant, Mutoh-kun."_

"_Th-Thank you, Sensei, and just call me Yuugi, everyone does."_

_Takahashi smiled even more, "Yuugi, it is, then!"_

Now that he looked back on it as he pulled the Millennium Puzzle out of his book bag, it all felt kind of stupid to Yuugi, but he had to admit, he really did enjoy detention with Mrs. Takahashi. Sure, she seemed to give Anzu and Jonouchi the cold shoulder, but whenever he conversed with her or even looked at her, she always reacted with a kind and pleasant intention.

'Not to mention she's really pretty…' The tri-haired teen's face began to heat up a little.

'Now, I thought you had the hots for Anzu, Aibou.'

Yuugi was never good at estimation, but he was sure he jumped at least four feet in the air out of sheer surprise; he COMPLETELY forgot that the moment he touched his puzzle, him and the Pharaoh's mind link connected, and his Yami could see and hear every word or image he thought of.

'Don't tell me you're going to start two timing, are you, Yuugi?' The Hikari could almost see the playful smirk on his alter ego's face, 'N-N-No! I would NEVER do something like that! And who said that I had a crush on Sensei! Who said I had a crush on ANZU for that matter!'

'Well, judging by how defensive you're getting, I would have to say th-'

Yuugi decided to cut off their mind link there.

Taking the long route home, Yuugi hoped that by the time he arrived at the Kame Game shop, Yami would have dropped the topic.

Which he didn't.

"So, Aibou, are you SURE you're not crushing?" Grinning wildly, the taller, more handsome look-alike of Yuugi's began his interrogation the moment the door opened to reveal the said boy's annoyed face. "Can't you leave my social life alone for two seconds!" Yuugi gave Yami one of his infamously a-freaking-dorable pouts; the pouts that usually got him whatever he wanted and once got him mistaken for a baby panda (why THAT of all things, he will never know). "You're my Hikari, Aibou," the dark Yuugi shrugged his shoulders indifferently, "You're the other half of me I can't live without; you and I shouldn't have to keep secrets from each other, not to mention it's my job to know everything about you and protect you from danger no matter the cost."

"Wait, what does danger have to do with my love interests?"

"You never know where evil will plant it's ugly seed, Yuugi. Anyone could be hiding behind a mask of fake feelings to get to you and hurt you; possibly kill you."

Yuugi sighed and gave his Yami a reassuring smile. "Honestly, Yami, you worry about me too much; it's not like I'm going to be stalked by aliens out to eat my brains or something!" He giggled at his own overexaggeration as he stepped forward and hugged his other self around the waist, burying the side of his head into the leather clothing across Yami's chest lovingly, "I'll never allow myself to be forced into leaving you," Yuugi closed his eyes, "Like you refused to leave me." Yami just stared at his Hikari for a minute, astonished by those simple yet oh so soothing words that seemed to flow from his small lips. Then a smile spread across the man's face, as he returned the embrace with equal warmth and love.

Love. Such a strange word.

However, it was the only word Yami could think of to describe his relationship with Yuugi. He truly loved his Hikari; as a best friend and as family. He thought of Yuugi as his little twin brother; the one who was his friend for life, the one who would reach out to him when no one else would, the one who was ready to accept his departure from the world, when everyone else seemed unable to. No matter the pain and sorrow it caused himself.

Yuugi had done just those things, especially the last one, which gave Yami all the more reason to stay in the living world.

It had been two years since, but he could still remember it, when he made that fateful decision.

Almost as though it were yesterday…

_"It's your move, Pharaoh!" Yuugi called out to Atemu as he walked further away from the group of people behind him, the small boy fighting the tears that clouded his vision. The Pharaoh gave his Hikari a simple thumb up, turning his head slightly to get one last look at his friends._

'_Yuugi, Jonouchi, Honda, Anzu…' Atemu thought of all he'd been through with them, the good and the bad, the wins and the losses, those cherished moments that would live with him forever. Suddenly, out of nowhere, his thoughts lead him to a realization._

'_Why leave now?'_

_The question struck him as stupid at first, but reasoning started to make sense of it._

'_If I live for the afterlife now, sure, I'll be with all of my old friends again, but what about all of my new friends here? Especially Yuugi… sure he's stable enough now, but,' Atemu glanced back again to see that the tears had finally overcome his fragile other self. 'living with another being in your body can really change you. Who knows how he might cope with my absence in the future… Ra, who am I kidding? I've become too attached,' Atemu looked up to realize he was already standing before all his loved ones from his original time. "Everyone," the Pharaoh looked at them all, all of them so happy to be in his presence once again. 'If I stay with Yuugi, I'll just come back here with him when it comes time for his passing over,' this fact gave Atemu his decision before he even made it, "Excuse my selfishness in the future, but-!" he turned his back to the group, all of them shocked at his sudden movement. He looked at the gate to the living world; it was closing, Yuugi's tear-engulfed face staring at the Pharaoh with resigned feelings._

'_It's my move, huh?...'_

_Atemu smiled at his Hikari before yelling behind him, "-Wait just a little longer for me; there's someone I have to protect!"_

_And with that, before anyone could stop him, he made a break for his new life._

Yami thought about that day with both melancholy and elation; he still didn't regret the choice he'd made, now convinced that it was better for everyone, Yuugi most definitely.

'I'll be with you, Aibou,' he held his Hikari close, cherishing every moment without second thought.

'Forever.'

_Fin._


End file.
